Printer&#39;s composing unit



July 2 1957 A A. R. HAwKE I 2,797,925

PRINTER'S COMPQSING UNIT Y INVENTOIL A'ToRNEY July 2, 1957 Filed March 18, 1955 A. R. HAWKE 2,797,925

PRINTERS coMPosING UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l llg :M

INVENTOR ,MVA/af? /S/AWAE ATTORNEY G IHIII'H Unite-d States Patent O PRINTERS CMPOSING UNIT Arthur R. Hawke, Hartsdale, N. Y. Application March 18, 1955, Serial No. 495,248 6 Claims. (Cl. 2764-44) This invention relates to a printers spaceand eifortsaving composing surface unit.

The-principal object of my invention is to provide a work surface unit which will greatly reduce the space requirements for a given area of work surface and greatly reduce the effort required, especially in the making up of type forms for newspaper and job printers. Another object is to greatly reduce-the cost of working. surface for printers and to save make-up time and effort by p roviding a much more compact arrangement of `working surfaces used in the preparation of type'forms for printing. The invention also-reduces the labor, as compared to the great labor involved in walking between the conventional make-'up stones or similar surfaces, in making upV a given job. Another object'is to provide arunit whereinany one of several work surfaces is readily and immediately accessible to the workman without the need for his leaving his working position; Another object is to provide a unit so designed that the workman can work with equal facility from either end Numerous other objects will more fully hereinafter appear.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view of a typical unit constructed in accordance with my invention, with conventional printers chase and contents such as type, half-tone cuts, etc. on the uppermost work surface;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line '2f-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a section 'on' the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the work surface unit prtrayed therein comprises two spaced parallel side frame members 1 and 2 which extend longitudinally for a distance equal to at least twice the lengthiof the work surfaces and preferably for a distance somewhat greaterthan twice such length and which extend vertically for a distance suicient to accommodate the desired number of work surfaces. Three surfaces are shown but any suitable number can be provided.

Side members 1 and 2 are rigidly secured in spaced relationship in such a way as to provide free working access from either open end of the unit to substantially the entire top face of any of the working surfaces. Members 1 and 2 are shown as being connected at their bottom portions by cross members 3 and 4 located atlower opposite ends of the unit and preferablyv made of metal, such as steel, which makes it possible for members 3 and -4 to be'thin so as to minimize interference with the workman particularly where he wishes to use the surface (not shown) upon which the unit rests, as a work surface. This point is more fully explained below. Members 1 and 2 are shown as being connected at their top by an upper cross member 5 located in the center of the unit so as to be out of the workmans way'. Member 5 is preferably of substantial width so as to accommodate printers supplies such as galleys of type, leads, slugs, dashes, cutof't rules, column rules, standing heads, etc., ina position out of the way but readily accessible to a workmanv at either end of the unit. Member 5 can be of wood or it 2,797,925 'Patented July 2, 1957 ice 2 can be of metal for greater compactness in height of the unit.

Side members 1 and 2 are typically formed of wood about 11/2 `to 2 inches thick. Instead of being made from wood, they can be formed of metal.

Between side members 1 and 2 are disposed the freely longitudinally slidable Work surfaces 6, 7 and 8 upon which are placed conventional metal chases (and contents) 6a, 7a and 8a. I prefer to make these slides with a wooden body (preferably of plywood for lightness and strength) and with upper surfaces 9, 10 and 11, respectively, formed of thin continuous sheet material having surface characteristics closely or somewhat simulating-the ordinary printers composing stone (in respect to texture, wear-resistance, coeicient of friction with respect to a printers chase, etc.). I have found that an excellent surfacing material is the sheet material known as Transite which is a hardened mixture of Portland cement and asbestos. This material is especially preferred for surfacing since it is light, inexpensive and withstands severe usage. Alternatively, I can use so-called Masonite, Flexboard or Hardboard, this being a compressed Wood product having excellent wear-,resistance and permitting ready sliding of a printers chase and contents thereon 'due to its'resinous content. Still further, I can surface the wooden slides with plastic, for example with vinyl resin, or the so-called gum plastics (rubber-resin blends) or their equivalents. The reason for surfacing the wooden slides is to permit the type matter or other contents of the chase being arranged to slide easily on the Vsurface within the chase and to permit the whole to be removed easily from the surface or replaced upon the surface and to prevent wearing and gouging of the wood by the chases and contents. The surfacing material used should be highly resistant to shock or impact.

The surfaces 9, 10 and 11 are secured to the wooden bodies of the slides 6, 7 and 8 in any suitable way as by tacking or by means of a suitable adhesive. Typically the surfacing is Mi to 1A in thickness.

I prefer that the side edges of the wooden slides 6, 7 and 8 be protected with metal channels 12 as shown in Figs. l and 2. These metal channels 12 make for easier longitudinal sliding of the slides on the rollers 14 presently to be described and in addition protect the edges of the wood from being worn by the rollers. Channels 12 reduce friction and protect against damage in case a heavily loaded slide engages a side member 1 or`2. These channels should be wide enough to fully engage rollers 14 but no wider than is necessary, considering the practical necessity of attaching them to the wood along a line inside the track of rollers 14. The reason for this is to provide the maximum working surface possible in a given floor space.

Channels 12 are secured to the slides in any suitable way. In Fig. l I have shown them as being secured by nails, brads or screws 13 which are located inwardly of the rollers 14 to avoid engagement thereby. These fastening` means should be countersunk to avoid interference with the chase and printers supplies resting on theslides'.

Slides 6, 7 and 8 are slidably disposed on rollers 14 to enable any one of them at will to be pushed out of the way or pulled toward the worker to enable him to work upon it. Rollers 14 are arranged in-horizontal rows so-vertically spaced as to accommodate a slide with a chase thereon. Thespacing of cross member 5 from the uppermost row of rollers and the spacing of the rows of rollers from each other shouldbe such as to provide for accommodation of a galley on each slide. It is convenient to have the slides sufficiently greater in area than a chase to allow the workman to have one or more galleys of type and his working tools such as make-up'rule, tweezers, quoins and key etc.

resting on the slide around the chase. A chase is typically /s thick. A galley containing type is about l high. I typically use slides with a total thickness of around l" and a spacing of 2% between the center lines of adjacent horizontal rows of rollers and equivalent spacing between the center line of the top row of rollers and the bottom of cross member 5. Such spacing gives ample clearance for galleys of type, etc. on the slides beside the chase. I prefer to provide the same spacing between the lowermost row of rollers and the extreme bottom of the unitpin order to provide for additional working space represented by the supporting surface upon which my unit is placed. This space will be used for the same purposes as the top of the slides. ,Y

Rollers 14 are so spacedhorizontally that they give good support to the slides 6, 7 and The horizontal spacing is such that each slide is supported over its entire area to substantially the same extent regardless of its longitudinal position within the unit. I prefer to have the rollers spaced horizontally no more than 5 inches apart. The centers of the front rollers (at either end) are preferably located at a distance from the front somewhat less than this (say 3 inches or less) to give good support at the front edge ofV a sliding work surface while it is being worked on.

Rollers 14 can be of any suitable type. They can be flanged like railroad wheels, if desired, to keep the slides from striking the sides l and 2. I prefer that they be lof ball-bearing type so that the slides can bev easily moved even when heavily loaded with chases and contents. I prefer to use rollers which are either oil-less" or are lubricated for life in such away Vthat lubricant cannot escape. It would be highly objectionable were oil or grease to get on the slides and thence onto the chase and contents. ,l have obtained outstanding results using standard self-lubricating ball-bearing roller and bolt assemblies such as are used in the aircraft industry. I have shown such roller assemblies in the drawings, these assemblies embodying stationary axles or bolts l5 which extend through side members l. and 2 and are rigidly locked in position in the obvious manner by tightening the nuts on their ends. It is not necessary to show the detailed construction of these ball-bearing roller assemblies since they are standard articles of commerce.

As shown in Fig. 3, each of the rows of rollers 14 eX- tends for substantially the entire length of the unit so as to enable each slide to be moved into any desired position lengthwise of the unit or to be removed from either end thereof.

Rollers 14 are positioned inwardly of the inner faces of sides 1 and 2 sufliciently to engage the edges of the slides 6, 7' and 8, but insufficiently to substantially interfere with the free longitudinal movement, with the slides, of the chases and contents, galleys, etc. disposed thereon.

Instead of the roller arrangement portrayed, which has been adopted as being the simplest way of accomplishing my objectives, I can use any lother suitable means for attaining free longitudinal movement of the sliding work surfaces within the side members which does not involve utilization of more than the marginal portions of the slides. For example, it is conceivable that horizontal rows (e. g., raceways) of rolling elements adapted to rollingly engage both the tops and bottoms, and perhaps even the sides, of the edges of the slides could be mounted on the side members, thereby rollingly engaging the margins only of the slides while allowing free and easy movement back and forth. The means for supporting and allowing free longitudinal movement of the slides should be so designed as to avoid the danger of getting oil or other lubricant on the work surfaces.

In use, my unit may be placed upon any suitable table such as a standard make-up surface of the type now used in print shops, thereby giving the workman three (in the case of the unit portrayed in the drawing) additional make-up surfaces above the make-up surface furnished by the table. The workman need not take steps sidewise or turn around to do his work. He can push all three movable surfaces back out of the Way and work on the table surface `or pull any one of the three movable surfaces forward, as desired, to Work on, leaving a chase lon any of them partly completed and working on any other one. He can easily make changes in completed chases. He can work with equal freedom from either end of the unit. Thus he enjoys great ilexibility and great savings in labor, steps, time and energy and does not need to move material from one make-up surface to another. Thus, new convenience and compactness are achieved.

Although I have shown three sliding make-up surfaces, a greater or a lesser number of such surfaces can be provided in a u ni t with in `the convenient reach of the workman. Also I can-'position several of my units one above the other, providing any 'obvious interlocking means (not shown) in the side members 1 and 2 (such as dowelsror other pins in the top faces of these members, and corresponding holes to receive such pins in the bottom faces thereof) to hold the units in stacked position.

I can dispense with metal channels 12 on the edges of the wooden slides, but in such case I prefer, where side members 1 and 2 are made of wood, to line the inner faces of the side members with any suitable wearresisting material of low frictional coefficient with respect to wood. Such lining may be formed of sheet Maso-nite, Flexboard or Hardboard or any other suitable material adapted to avoid the injury caused by impact of the wooden slides upon the wooden side members. Where flanged rollers are used, such lining would probably be unnecessary.

lf desired, any suitable means (not shown) can be provided for holding the slides against horizontal movement while they are being worked upon or for preventing accidental movement of the slides out of the unit. This means can provide for temporary locking of the slides if desired. Such holding or temporary locliing means is not ordinarily 'necessary because of the great weight of the chases and contents.

The slides can be freely removed from either end of theunit. This is indicated, in the case of slide 8, by the extending' dotted lines in Fig. 3. The slides so removed can beV placed in any suitable storage unit below the unit in service. Such a storage unit can be another unit constructed in accordance with my invention. v

As will be obvious, the finished chase (filled with printing matter) is transported from the work surface to any subsequent operation, as to a mat roller or to a printing press.'

The dimensions of my unit can vary widely. For printing operations like those for a tabloid newspaper (using 20 X 25" chases) I typically provide a unit 36 wide and 52" long with sliding shelves 25" X 32". For printing a regular sized newspaper, a larger sized unit would be necessary.

Many advantages of the unit of my invention will bc immediately apparent to those familiar with the printing trade. My unit with only three slides cuts the floor space requirements to less than one half. With more slidesper unit an increased saving in space is obtained. In addition to the tremendous savings in effort and space, my

unit effects great savings in capital investrnent. Thus one unit of my invention, with three slides costing $200, provides work surface equal to that provided by an investment of about$1200 in conventional printers surface at far less cost to say nothing of the great labor-saving achieved.

VMy composing units can be stacked one upon another, or they can be placed upon conventional printers work tables or. stones, or upon'galley cabinets. They can be arranged side by side as well as upon one another.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A printers spaceand effort-saving composing surface unit comprising, in combination, two spaced parallel side members having a length equal to at least twice the length of the sliding work surfaces hereinafter mentioned, means rigidly connecting said side members in spaced relationship and providing free working access of a workman to the upper face of any of the hereinafter mentioned work surfaces from either end of the unit, a plurality of vertically spaced means for supporting and rollingly engaging the edge portions only of the hereinafter mentioned work surfaces, said last-named means being mounted on the inner faces of said side members and extending for substantially the length of said side members, said supporting and engaging means being in horizontal pairs with one of said means at each side of each of the hereinafter mentioned work surfaces, and a plurality of flat sliding work surfaces, one for each horizontal pair of said supporting and engaging means, longitudinally slidably engaged and supported thereby, the arrangement being such that each of said work surfaces with a printers chase resting thereon can be freely slid into any longitudinal position within the device or removed from either end thereof and that a workman can have free working access to the upper face of any one of said work surfaces from either end of the unit.

2. A unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for supporting and rollingly engaging the edge portions of said work surfaces are vertically spaced sufficiently to freely accommodate each work surface with a printers chase resting thereon.

3. A unit as defined in claim 2 wherein said work surfaces are made with a body of wood having an upper face of wear-resisting material simulating the conventional printers stone work surface in surface characteristics and permitting a printers chase to be readily slid thereon.

4. A printers spaceand effort-saving composing surface unit comprising, in combination, two spaced parallel side members having a length equal to at least twice the length of the sliding work surfaces hereinafter mentioned, means rigidly connecting said side members in spaced relationship, said connecting means being so arranged as to permit free working access of a workman to the upper face of anyone of the hereinafter mentioned work surfaces from either end of the unit and comprising rigid connecting means between the top central portions of said side members and rigid connecting means between the bottom portions of said side members, a plurality of vertically spaced rows of freely rotatable rollers rigidly mounted on the inner faces of said side members, said rows of rollers extending for substantially the entire length of said side members and being in horizontal pairs, with one row at each side of each of the hereinafter mentioned work surfaces, said rollers being spaced only a short distance from the inner faces of said side members, and a plurality of flat sliding work surfaces, one for each horizontal pair of said rows of rollers, longitudinally slidably supported by said rollers, said rollers rollingly engaging the edge portions only of said work surfaces, the arrangement being such that each of said work surfaces with a printers chase resting thereon can be freely slid into any longitudinal position within the unit or removed from either end thereof and that a workman can have free working access to the upper face of any one of said work surfaces from either end of the unit.

5. A printers spaceand effort-saving composing surface unit comprising, in combination, two spaced parallel side members having a length equal to at least twice the length of the sliding work surfaces hereinafter mentioned, means rigidly connecting said side members in spaced relationship, said connecting means being so arranged as to permit free working access of a workman to the upper face of any one of the hereinafter mentioned work surfaces from either end of the unit and comprising flat rigid connecting means extending between the top central portions of said side members and being suciently wide to accommodate galleys of type and other printers supplies and make them readily accessible to a workman and flat rigid connecting means extending between the bottom portions of said side members at the opposite ends thereof, a plurality of vertically spaced rows of freely rotatable rollers rigidly mounted on the inner faces of said side members, said rows of rollers extending for substantially the entire length of said side members and being in horizontal pairs, with one row at each side of each of the hereinafter mentioned work surfaces, said rollers being spaced only a short distance from the inner faces of said side members, and a plurality of fiat sliding work surfaces, one for each horizontal pair of said rows of rollers, longitudinally slidably supported by said rollers, said rollers rollingly engaging the edge portions only of said work surfaces, the vertical spacing of said rows of rollers and of said connecting means between the top central portions of said side members being such that each working surface can have thereon a printers chase and a galley of type alongside said chase and still slide freely from one end of the unit to the other end, said work surfaces having a body of wood with an upper face of wear-resisting material simulating the conventional printers stone work surface in surface characteristics and permitting a printers chase to be readily slid thereon, the arrangement being such that each of said work surfaces with a chase thereon and a galley of type alongside said chase can be freely slid into any longitudinal position within the unit or removed from either end thereof and that a workman can have free working access to the upper face of any one of said work surfaces from either end of the unit.

6. A printers composing unit comprising a frame having oppositely disposed sides, each of said sides having a plurality of horizontal, parallel tracks, each of said tracks on one side being disposed directly opposite a similar track on the other side to thereby provide a pair of tracks which denes a horizontal plane for a slide hereinafter mentioned, a slide supported only at its side edges on each of said pair of tracks, said tracks being substantially twice as long as said slides, said frame having open ends and an open top at each end, each of said slides being freely movable into any horizontal position on said pair of tracks and removable through the said open ends of said frame, said open ends and top and said movable slides permitting ready access to the upper face of any one of said slides from either end of said frame.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 220,265 Wolfe Oct. 7, 1879 372,972 Flick Nov. 8, 1887 508,143 Lomer Nov. 7, 1893 544,055 Smith Aug. 6, 1895 972,246 Redwine Oct. 11, 1910 

